Texas Rangers Blog

Colby Lewis pitching in minor league game Friday

SURPRISE, Ariz. – Likely Rangers Opening Day starter RHP Colby Lewis will be pitching in a minor league game Friday rather than vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in the team’s regular exhibition. RHP Greg Reynolds will start the “A” game and will pitch four innings.

The Rangers actually made the decision earlier in the week and for several reasons. First, there is the matter of Lewis’ degenerative hip, which the Rangers’ try to protect during spring. By pitching in a minor league game, the Rangers can control the innings and not force Lewis to throw 20-plus pitches in an inning.

It is not unusual for the Rangers to take this approach with Lewis, who will pitch in Peoria against San Diego’s Triple-A club. While most of the starters will get six “A” game outings in a spring, that has never been the case for Lewis. He had five outings in 2010 and four last year.

In addition, Lewis’ young family has been sick this week and he’s battled a cough and cold-like systems, so a controlled environment makes more sense.

And finally, there is opportunity for Reynolds, once the No. 2 overall pick in the amateur draft, to continue to catch the Rangers’ eyes. Reynolds has pitched four perfect innings in two outings this spring. While there doesn’t appear to be a spot for him to win on the roster, there is competition for at least one bullpen spot and Reynolds could force his way into that discussion.

After Reynolds, RHPs Yoshinori Tateyama, Mark Lowe and Tanner Scheppers are all scheduled to pitch. LHP Joe Beimel (illness) and RHP Justin Miller (stiff back) had also been scheduled to pitch, but will not.